On March 26th at 9pm, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution reality show premieres on ABC. Jamie travels to Huntington, West Virginia, aka the unhealthiest town in America as deemed by the US government, and embarks on a journey to save the health of the entire town, around 50,000 residents.
Health problems plague this town: half of the town is obese, and the diabetes and heart disease rates are soaring. The school children couldn't even name a tomato, they called it a potato. Thus not surprisingly, the show has ignited controversy...
You say Potato, I say Tomato. In the trailer for the show, there is a clip of a classroom of elementary school students who don't know that tomatoes are tomatoes. They call them potatoes. There is another clip of Jamie reacting in shock when greasy pizza is being served as 'breakfast' in a school cafeteria. Then there is another clip of a wilted-faced obese woman sobbing in frustration to Jamie over an enormous pile of greasy, processed, high fat/sugar foods like pizza and snack cakes. Can Jamie, save her, her town and spark a food revolution in America?
"We don't want to sit around and eat lettuce all day." - radio show host in WV, as he remarks critically to Jamie's arrival.
The radio host went on to say, "I don't think Jamie's got anything that can change this town. He can try all he wants though."
Jamie responds later by saying: "I thought there were only miserable bastards like that in England."
Obviously Jamie's arrival was met with some criticism from the town. And quite frankly, I usually have doubts too when I hear someone (especially on a reality show) say they are going to "save" someone else. In my experience, you can only save yourself. We are all responsible for the decisions we make.
On the other hand, I am incredibly hopeful that Jamie will work nutrition miracles (and inspire a nation) simply because of his record of success. He has lead the war on childhood obesity in the UK and helped to make drastic improvements in a school lunch program there. You can read his manifesto here. He was also recently awarded the TED prize. And TED has a grand reputation for honoring genius-minded individuals. So is Jamie a nutrition savior of sorts for Americans?
Reality or Not? It is obviously admirable to want to 'save a town' from their fatally unhealthy ways. But the real question I keep asking myself is: is Jamie's blueprint plan for saving Huntington realistic for the rest of America? It's easy to put down the box of Ho Ho's when you have a 5 person camera crew two feet from your face. And it's easy to be motivated if you have a public weigh-in that will air across the nation. And it's easy to say 'yes!' to health when your have a motivating and talented Chef like Jamie Oliver leading you by hand. But will the healthy changes last? Will the town truly be changed forever? Will fruit and veggie sales go up and processed junk food sales go down at area supermarkets?
Can Jamie really have a Food Revolution on his hands?
These are the questions I ask myself. I also question the self-awareness an overweight person has when they continue to eat unhealthfully. Do obese individuals have a choice to be healthy. Maybe they are like drug addicts and are addicted to their unhealthy lifestyle and junk food. In that case, wouldn't they need a therapist and not a Chef?
The Reality Show Effect. We've all seen reality show participants get healthy, lose weight and kick addictions on national TV, only to resume their unhealthy ways a few weeks later. But yes, there are other cases, such as on The Biggest Loser, where contestants have maintained their healthy lifestyle. But is it social pressure to not fail? The, "we'll be back to film your results in two months" mentality of fear to succeed? Or is it a true and whole-hearted lifestyle change? I do not have the answers, but I am hoping that a few of these questions will be answered when I watch the show later this month.
Nutrition Nightmares? Jamie's Food Revolution show sounds a bit like Gordon Ramsey's famous reality show "Kitchen Nightmares". Only instead of dealing with hit-rock-bottom, failing restaurants, Jamie will be dealing with failing hit-rock-bottom people and their health. You can't simply scream at them about their customer service skills, show them how to properly saute some mushrooms, summon their finance records and point out specific errors, buy them new dining room furniture, repaint the walls and say voila! to increased clientele. Changing people from the inside out, in regards to their lifestyle, requires an emotional and intellectual connection to them that requires heart, persistence, creativity, skills and energy. Has Jamie got it? We'll see.
What do you think? We can learn so much from each other. Reality television shows can not only entertain us - but they can teach, awaken and educate us - even if "reality" really isn't reality.
I'm very interested to see what Jamie will uncover in this town and how successful he will be in the short and long term. I'll be watching. Will you watch?
Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution premieres Friday, March 26 at 9pm on ABC. Produced by Ryan Seacrest Productions and Fresh One Productions
Anonymous says
As I watched the promo for the upcoming Food Revolution series and all I could do is sigh. It appears that all of the people chosen to appear from "Huntington" (the survey actually covers the Greater Huntington Metropolitan region, which includes parts of Ohio and Kentucky.) WV (not VA) are imbeciles. This show is exploitative and I am curious to see if it is going to take into account the fact that most people in the area eat unhealthy is because of their poverty level. Unfortunately fat is cheap and it is not always simply a matter of personal choice. I hope that this issue is addressed. But, I digress, I hope some good can come from it.
Jean says
I read somewhere that in fact, Jamie Oliver was not as successful with Huntington, VA as he might have been in various parts of England with similar concept of healthy diet /cooking "conversion" of people.
I do like him generally. But would agree that an external force/celebrity will not change a person permanently, unless person digs deep within and makes some major diet and lifestyle changes.
I saw the UK version and learned more about some people's eye-popping ignorance on veggies, basic nutrition.
What Jamie Oliver and some chefs, are credited is their on-camera enthusiasm for fresh veggies, fruits, etc. This alone can be influential to certain audience segments who wouldn't have even tried cooking before or grocery shopping fresh produce much at all previously.
A sister-physician recommends to parents who should begin familiarizing children's tastbuds with veggies, etc. healthy stuff, need to try a food...20 times on child ..in different times, maybe prepared in different ways, before giving up. She has 2 children.
But diet does need to be paired up with some daily physical activity interwoven as part of a person's lifestyle.
Jean
William says
You definitely need to take the time out to watch Jamie's TED lecture. He is affable, friendly, but you can tell he means business.
LauraM says
Go Jamie Oliver! Love him and the work he's doing.
the wicked noodle says
I can't STAND reality television (okay, I'm a closet American Idol and Top Chef fan 😉 - but I will definitely be watching this. I admire Jamie Oliver immensely and hope that he's able to make a difference with this.
Amanda says
I've seen Jamie Oliver's TED lecture. It was pretty incredible. I'd like to hear more about the changes that have taken place in Huntington.
Anonymous says
Reality, but his food (check out some of the recipes at jamieoliver.com) are high in meat, added oil (mayonnaise, like many vegan bloggers, too much olive oil), and more.
He talks about healthy but his recipes don't show the same. Sure, a child learning what a tomato or potato is might be a good step, but teaching them to dose it in gobs of oil and adding fatty meas (smoke bacon wrapped in mayo, yuck), isn't coming close to solving the problem of childhood obesity and later heart disease.
Jessica says
I can't decide what I think. I think the motive is definitely,unquestionably positive, and NEEDED, but the idea and kind of the angle is a bit...authoritarian? A bit arrogant?
The biggest way to motivate people is to make them feel successful and empowering them. Telling them they need SOMEONE to change them isn't the angle I would pursue necessarily, but maybe one of quiet awakening. I think the visuals he uses are great, i think the tutorials and meals he makes are simple and easy for people to learn and feel good about, I just wish maybe he would come in not with "I need to save you" but "you can be so much better than this."
Linzey says
I'm not a fan of reality tv, but I'm actually looking forward to watching this. I think a lot of people want to get healthy, but they're afraid that eating healthy equals "sitting around eating lettuce all day". If Jamie Oliver can show the nation how to fix healthy, delicious meals that don't take hours and don't have a whole bunch of hard to find ingredients, maybe we (as a nation) have a chance to change? I also think if he can educate people on all of the negative effects of eating the SAD (Standard American Diet) then maybe, just maybe things will start to change. If he could get poeple like Dr. Dean Ornis or Dr. T. Colin Campbell or Thomas M. Campbell to come on the show and advicate a whole food plant based diet that would be even better! 🙂
Carolyn says
I will definitely be watching. If anything, I hope that the show is inspiring and at least sheds light on the reality of what kids are eating these days.
Nathan says
I will DVR and watch it. I just hope that there is some real truth about nutrition.
In the past few years I have had my own food revolution, believing in a plant-based low fat vegan diet. However, I have been overweight my whole life, and the transition has not been easy, and I've fallen off the wagon more than once. However, it's easier to stick to the plan as the pounds fall off!
Tasha - The Clean Eating Mama says
I can see myself doing the same thing Jamie is doing; especially for the children. I think that is why I started my blog - I wanted to spread the word and help individuals become healthier and understand what they truly are eating, and not eating.
You can see the amount of passion Jamie has in his nutrition belief and the willingness to help these unhealthy individuals, but just like you said: THEY have to be willing to change.
When the DJ made the blank statement that people didn't want to eat lettuce all day, it really stood out. People have this stereotypical view on what "healthy" is. That's what I love to do and is passionate about - healthy does not mean eating lettuce. It means fully understanding what mother earth can provide for us and the bountiful goodness we have access to.
I hope he is able to change individuals, but thinking he can take the entire town is a little over his head.